September 17, 2012

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: What were the circumstances surrounding the drug-related shooting of Michael Savage in Land Park in the mid to late 1990s?Submitted by: Mike, Elk Grove

ANSWER: Michael Savage was shot in the back of the head and his 18-year-old companion, Andre Carter, was killed in February 1995 as they attemtped to buy drugs at William Land Park.

According to stories in The Bee, Savage and Carter went to West Sacramento where they picked up two men from Oakland for a prearranged drug deal. Carter was driving, Savage was in the front seat and the two men, Delian Brewer and Kumasi Kufa, were in the back seat.

After Carter inspected the drugs he was to purchase, the Oakland men asked about guns. They showed their guns and Carter showed his, Savage testified during the trial for Brewer and Kufa.

Once the guns were put away, Carter turned around to face the front of the car and was shot in the back of the head.

When Savage was unable to produce money, the men shot him in the forehead. Although Savage survived, he was left partially blind.

Brewer and Kufa were convicted of murder and attempted murder. According to Sacramento Superior Court online records, Brewer was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison and Kufa, to 23 years in prison.

Brewer, 37, is in Folsom State Prison and Kufa, also 37, is at the Correctional Training Facility at Soledad.

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